Smart Safety: Cyber Monday Shopping Tips

Cyber Monday is a fast-paced online frenzy to find the best deals quickly, but in the haste to score a limited-time bargain, some shoppers can get careless with their credit card information.

“While consumers should only shop through trusted retailers with HTTPS-only sites, there are other precautions to take to help protect your purchases on Cyber Monday,” said Brittney Mayer, credit strategist atCardrates.com.

Cyber Monday Prep for Safer Online Transactions

• Use online payment services (Paypal): To avoid giving financial info to retailers

• Use a virtual credit card number:  To help protect your actual account info

• Use credit cards with return protection:
  To get money back if the merchant refuses

• Use a credit card with fraud protection: Check your cardholder agreement

• Set up credit card alerts with you banking app:
  To notify you when purchases happen

ALSO: “If you spot an unauthorized transaction, notify your card issuer immediately,” continued
Mayer. “This will prevent additional fraud and make the recovery process much easier.”

Please contact me for additional online security tips and/or comments from the Credit experts at CardRates.com.